The present invention relates to apparel manufacture equipment.
Apparel manufacture equipment includes, but is not limited to, devices such as sewing machines, embroidering machines, cutting machines, and the like. In the present state of the art, these machines are generally controlled by operators physically commanding the machine to perform some desired task or function. For instance, with regards to industrial or assembly-line type sewing machines, an operator controls the operations of the sewing machine through a foot pedal. The operator physically commands the sewing machine to perform a function by pressing his foot upon the pedal in a certain manner causing contacts within the pedal to make and/or break. These contacts in turn cause the sewing machine to respond in some desired manner.
The operator may also physically control the machine by manually operating relays, trips, and like control devices. This type of manual or physical control, especially in the case of the sewing machine with associated foot control pedal, contributes to operator fatigue and other physical ailments. For instance, a common complaint among operators of the foot control sewing machine is recurring lower back pain and leg problems. These ailments can be attributed to the fact that the operator must essentially balance himself upon one foot while maintaining control of the machine with the other foot over extended periods of time. Additionally, the operator in many instances must maintain his foot on the control pedal at a certain angle or tilt and with a certain amount of pressure to maintain the machine operating in a certain mode. This is an ergonomically unsound working condition and, in time could lead to serious health problems for the operators and financial hardships for the employer in the way of sick leave, insurance and disability payments, and the like. The present invention addresses these problems and provides an apparatus and method to overcome them.